Winner of the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, Empty Cages is Fatma Qandil’s first novel and her first book available in English. The English translation was published by Hoopoe on May 27, 2025; the paperback edition is 260 pages.
The novel follows a woman looking back across childhood, family life, illness, violence, care, and loss in Cairo. Its power comes from the way private memory, domestic detail, and the long pressures of Egyptian social change gather into a searching account of survival and selfhood.
Reviews
“The brilliance of [Qandil’s] prose lies in its reflection of the complex emotions we endure when those we love disappoint us” — The New Arab (AUC Press)
“Translator Adam Talib’s intentionality in preserving the poetry and emotion behind Qandil’s prose shines throughout the entire book.” — Lukas Soloman, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs (Full review)
“This is a really exciting first novel … that deserves to be on more people’s radars.” — Samia Saliba, Mizna
“Astonishing . . . exceptional . . . lit from within by unexpected humor.” — Shahina Piyarali, Shelf Awareness
“masterfully translated by Adam Talib” — Ahmed Naji, The Markaz Review